Couple Grateful For Community Help, Support After Losing Cat In Apartment Fire

MURRAY, Utah — Two weeks later and people who were displaced by a large apartment fire in Murray were still getting back on their feet.

The blaze at the Stillwater apartments on July 1 left about 50 residents without a place to stay. 

KSL-TV was there the moment one woman discovered her cat dead inside her apartment. The scene was heartbreaking.

Still, Courtney Beck said she doesn’t want people to feel sorry for her. Instead, she wanted people to know how grateful she is for the neighbors and strangers who offered support. 

I connected with the woman that I witnessed find her cat after a fire.

Her name is Courtney. She is getting back on her feet — with a new place to stay after losing her apartment. @KSL5TV will show you how the community has helped her, and her wife.

But first — a hug.♥️ pic.twitter.com/ygefpDqSle

— Morgan Wolfe (@MorganWolfeKSL) July 13, 2021

“For me, it’s kind of a little bit of a blur,” said Beck.

It’s never something you think will actually happen to you.

“Then, I just remember seeing the fire,” Beck said of waking up on July 1.

Police said a man started a fire at the Stillwater apartments. The flames quickly spread through the roof.

The fire marshal told KSL-TV the older building didn’t have a centralized fire detector system or sprinklers to notify residents.

“We all just worked together to get everyone out of the building, to make sure everyone was safe,” said Beck.

She credited her neighbors with saving her life and her wife Kris. But in the hectic shuffle to get out of the building, they left their cat Domer behind. 

“So, he was hiding and (Kris) had to leave, so she got out of the apartment and got downstairs. As soon as she got to the middle landing, that’s when the explosion happened,” Beck said while holding back tears. 

She found a shocking sight when she returned to the apartment. 

“As soon as I walked in the door, I looked down, and I saw him curled up by the back door,” said Beck.

Thanks to a donation from a stranger, they were able to get their kitty cremated that day. 

“It’s just like, the hardest part,” said Beck.

The couple’s wedding has been planned for next month. Their renter’s insurance doesn’t cover much.

“When the fire happened, the renter’s insurance basically just covered the building,” Beck explained.  

Despite the heartbreak they’ve endured, the couple feels loved after all the support they’ve received from their community. 

“No matter who you are, where you are from, you have people. Like, there are good people out there,” said Beck.

The Red Cross also helped Courtney and Kris and dozens of others impacted by the fire.